THE headlong rush and demand for an inquiry into the unfortunate events surrounding Cornelia Rau highlights the great confusion by the federal Opposition and others about exactly what they want and what is needed.

The federal Government has announced an inquiry chaired by a former federal police commissioner, Mick Palmer, who will conduct his investigations privately._______CONTINUES....

Royal Commissions and Public Inquiries

This website provides a comprehensive overview of the extent and use of the institutional phenomena known as public inquiries.

‘Public inquiries’ refers to temporary ad hoc public bodies appointed by executive government to investigate and advise on a breadth of issues and whose members are draw predominantly from outside of government.

Public inquiries come in a wide range of different organisational forms and nomenclatures such as:

royal commissions

task forces

committees

reviews

working parties

commissions

inquiries

A more detailed definition of public inquiries and their delineation from other investigatory and advisory institutions of government is provided in Defining Public Inquiries.